Hing-ed bracelet



(No Model.

P. LETTRE.

SPRING HINGED BRACELET.

Patented May 19, 1885-.

WJTN EEIE' UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIPP LETTEE, OF NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To SANDLAND, OAPRON & 00., or SAME PLACE.

SPRING-HlNGED BRACELET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,379, dated May 19,1885. Application filed September 10, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHIL-IPP LETTRE, of North Attleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Hinged Bracelets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of'bracelets in which the circlet or band is composed of two wings which are hinged together, and which are held normally in closed condition by spring attachments. In this class of brace- I 5 lets as heretofore constructed the spring or springs, by which the band-sections were held i in closed condition, were of such character and so arranged that their exposure marred the ornamental appearance of the bracelet,

and consequently such spring or springs were concealed from view. In order to effect this necessary concealment of the closing spring or springs it became necessary to construct the bracelet with two hinges, one for each bandsection, such hinges being usually placed at each end of a center piece which inclosed the closing spring or springs. This previous construction was highly objectionable, owing to the fact that it rendered the bracelet clumsy and of unsightly appearance. Moreover, the

spring or springs as thus arranged were incapable of acting with the utmost possible efficiency.

It is the object of my invention to remedy 5 the above-stated defects in bracelets of this class, or, in other words, to produce a bracelet in which the closing-spring may be exposed to View, not only without marring the ornamental appearance of the bracelet, but adding to such ornamental appearance.

A further object of my invention is to so place the closing-spring as to increase the efficiency of its action and to enable me to directly connect the two band-sections by a single hinge, thus rendering the bracelet simple and light in construction, perfect in operation, and highly ornamental in appearance.

To the above purposes myinvention consists in the peculiar and novel features of construc- 0 tion and arrangement, hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of my improved bracelet in closed condition. Fig.2 is a similar view of the same in open condition, said view being partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detached view, on a larger scale, of the hinge and closing-spring, said view being partly in section. Fig. 4 is a top view of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a slightly-modified form of my invention. Fig. 6 is a top View of the same. an under side view of the hinge-joint.

In the said drawings, A designates one of the wings, and A the other wing. These two wings may be of any suitable form or charac ter, and are united by a single hinge, (L The pivot-bar of this hinge may be either cut off flush with the outer sides of the hinge or it may be extended beyond such sides, as shown in the drawings, and in the latter event may be either perfectly plain or ornamented in any suitable manner.

As shown in Fig. 7, the meeting ends of the wings A A may be bent backward, as at a a, so as to afford, at the bend thus made, ample surface for holding the hinge-leaves. This arrangement, though preferable, is not exclusively essential to the spirit of my invention.

a a designate two hollow balls, one of which is secured at either side of the single hinge between the ends of one of the wings, a hole being formed in the side of each ball contiguous to the opposite ball.

B designates a spiral spring, the ends of which are set within the balls a as is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, and the ends of the spring may be held in the balls by the pins a as is shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the spring B, which acts expansively, will hold the bracelet normally in closed condition, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. When, now, the bracelet is opened, the spring B will become compressed within the balls a, and no contortion or doubling of the spring will occur. Upon releasing the wings the spring will readily expand and will throw OQ the wings instantly in closed condition,

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I have shown a slightly Fig. 7 is 65 modified arrangement, in which the ends of the spring B are secured within hollow ornaments, instead of within hollow balls, as before. In this arrangement the ends of the spring are set against the outside of the balls a, which are secured between the ends of the arms or sections A A, as before. These balls are, however, concealed by ornaments O G, which are shown as of shield shape, having their upper faces suitably ornamented, and secured upon the ends of the sections A A. Thus it will be seen that when the bracelet is opened the spring B will be compressed beneath the ornaments G O, and that said spring will not become contorted or bent out of proper shape. As soon as the wings of the bracelet are released, the spring will instantly throw them into closed position.

I do not propose to confine myself exclusively to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, because the balls a may have other than spherical form, the ornaments O 0 may be of other than shield shape, the balls a may be dispensed with, in which event the ends of the spring would be secured directly to the outer ends of the ornaments, and other such changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the essential spirit of my invention.

In order to impart a-finished ornamental appearance to the ends a a of the sections, they may have tips a of spherical or any other suitable shape. The spring B imparts a peculiarly pleasing and ornamental effect to the bracelet, and accords properly with any other features or ornamentation which may be used. Moreover, this spring conceals the hinge to a great extend, and by virtue of its position its operation is perfectly efficient.

The band or circlet and its ornaments may be made of any suitable metal, either solid or plated, and the spring may be made of any suitable metal of such character as to afford the requisite resilience and the proper ornamental efiect to the bracelet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a spring-hinged bracelet, a spiral spring located in exposed position. above the hinge and arranged to hold the hinged band sections or wings in closed condition, substantially as described.

2. A spiral spring located in exposed position above the hinge and arranged to hold the bracelet in closed position, and also constituting an ornamental feature of the bracelet, sub stantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a bracelet composed of two sections united by a single hinge, of a spiral spring placed above the hinge and extending in longitudinal alignment with the sections and operating to hold said sections in closed condition, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the sections A A, of the spring B, having its ends set against or within the ornaments attached to the hinged ends of the sections, said spring extending in longitudinal alignment with the sections and operating to hold the same in closed condition, as described.

5. The combination, with the scctionsAA, having the bent'ends a a, of the single hinge a connecting said ends, the ornaments a and the spring B, arranged above the hinge and in longitudinal alignment with the sections, as and for the purposes set forth.

PHILIP]? LETTRE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. KURTZ, O. E. SANDLAND. 

